BIG HI RES VERSIONSoldiers from Company B, 2nd Battalion, 502nd Infantry Regiment, 101st Airborne Division, conduct search and sweep operations in the village of Shakaria, Iraq. Also, the Soldiers discovered a buried improvised explosive device on the road. This photo appeared on www.army.mil. January 9, 2006 by Staff Sgt. Kevin L. Moses

U.S. Army officer Maj. Christopher Engen (L), gesturing while using night vision goggles, and Capt. Tom Fournier (C) -- both from 2nd Squadron, 3rd Brigade Combat Team -- stand beside an Iraqi army officer during a raid of suspected insurgents' houses in Baiji, 180 km (112 miles) north of Baghdad, in this photo taken January 12, 2006 and released January 13, 2006. REUTERS/Spc. Jose Ferrufino/U.S. Army/Handout

A US soldier secures the area as Iraqi and US soldiers inspect the scene of a car bomb that detonated in the Kazemiya district of Baghdad, on January 4. US forces in Iraq expect a surge in violence as political factions get down to negotiating a new coalition government, a US general warned.(AFP/File/Ali Al Saadi)

U.S. Marine Lance Cpl. Jose D. Hernandez, from Los Angeles, a team leader of Company D, 1st Light Armored Reconnaissance Battalion demonstrates to Iraqi soldiers the one-man room clearing technique near Camp Korean Village in Iraq January 13, 2006. The U.S. Marines and the Iraqi soldiers were performing pre-combat rehearsals before a raid on a gas station in Iraq. REUTERS/ Cpl. Adam C. Schnell/Handout

Iraqis enjoy a day at the al-Zawraa park on the third day of Eid al-Adha or the Feast of the Sacrifice, as an armed and masked security officer keeps watch in central Baghdad. US forces in Iraq expect a surge in insurgent attacks as political factions prepare to negotiate the first full-term government since the fall of Saddam Hussein, a US general warned.(AFP/Karim Sahib)

An Israeli soldier stands on guard during a demonstration against the construction of Israel's separation barrier in the West Bank village of Bilin, west of Ramallah. Bilin has been the scene of weekly demonstrations against the controversial fence that separates the West Bank from Israel.(AFP/Patrick Baz)

Israeli soldiers escort Orthodox Jews to the Palestinian side of the divided West Bank city of Hebron, on January 1. A Palestinian suicide bomber blew himself up near a group of Israeli soldiers who were carrying out an arrest operation in the West Bank town of Jenin(AFP/File/Hazem Bader)

An Indian Army soldier (L) shows a MAG 7.62 gun to a policeman on the first day of a two-day exhibition by the Indian Army in the northern Indian city of Amritsar January 14, 2006. On the first day of the exhibition, a large crowd of Indians thronged to view the state of the art weapons and equipment used by the Indian Army. REUTERS/Munish Sharma

An AK-47 and boots belonging to a Sudanese People Liberation Army soldier leans on a tree near Rumbek southern Sudan. The United Nations is readying contingency plans to deploy a quick-reaction force to take over from cash-strapped African Union peacekeepers in Sudan's troubled Darfur province, UN chief Kofi Annan said(AFP/File/Simon Maina)

A navy sailor keeps watch outside the main morgue where the bodies of nine sailors killed in a mine attack were brought in the capital Colombo. A packed army bus narrowly escaped a mine blast in Sri Lanka as truce monitors pointed the finger at Tiger rebels for a wave of deadly bombings and urged action to halt a return to war.(AFP/Lakruwan Wanniarachchi)

An Indonesian army officer tries out an Indonesian made weapon during a military equipment exhibition in Jakarta January 12, 2006. Indonesia, the largest country in Southeast Asia, has pledged to upgrade its military equipment and technology to maintain the country's security. REUTERS/Crack Palinggi

An Indonesian army officer tries out an Indonesian made weapon during a military equipment exhibition in Jakarta January 12, 2006. Indonesia, the largest country in Southeast Asia, has pledged to upgrade its military equipment and technology to maintain the country's security. REUTERS/Crack Palinggi

Indonesian soldiers practice shooting while jumping from a stage in Bandung, in 2003. The United States welcomed the arrest of 12 separatist rebels in Indonesia over the 2002 murder of two American teachers, saying a resolution to the case was crucial for Washington.(AFP/File/Inoong )

Philippine police special action force keep guard outside the U.S. embassy in Manila on Thursday Jan. 12, 2006. The U.S. Embassy allowed Philippine official Zosimo Paredes to meet with four U.S. Marines accused of rape, but gave no indication whether it would grant a Philippine government request to take custody of them. The rape case is seen as a test of the bilateral Visiting Forces Agreement, which allows large-scale U.S. military exercises in the Philippines. (AP Photo/Aaron Favila)

A Filipino woman inspects a pistol on sale during a defence equipment exhibition in a shopping mall in Manila January 12, 2006. Rising criminality, like car thefts, bank robberies and kidnappings are pushing more people to arm themselves, local police reported. REUTERS/Romeo Ranoco

A soldier with the Japanese Ground Self Defense Force prepares to swim as part of 'Exercise Iron Fist,' a binational amphibious training regimen at San Diego's Naval Amphibious base in Coronado January 12, 2006. A company of 125 Japanese soldiers are taking a 19 day course on amphibious training from the U.S. Marines. The training is the first of its kind between the two nations. REUTERS/Mike Blake

Brazilian U.N. peacekeepers take positions during a military operation in the volatile neighborhood of Citi-Militaire, Haiti, in this November 17, 2005 photo. From army barracks to government ministries and Congress, Brazilians are beginning to look for a way out of a messy U.N. peacekeeping mission in Haiti. The apparent weekend suicide of Gen. Urano Bacellar has highlighted intractable conditions for peacekeepers and raised questions about Brazil's diplomatic ambitions. REUTERS/Eduardo Munoz/Files

A Haitian police officer, left, patrols the border with Dominican Republic during a protest of Haitian immigrants at the Dominican police borderline in Dajabon, some 225 miles north west of Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic, Friday, Jan.13, 2006.The border of Dajabon with Haiti was closed Friday due to the disturbances provoked by Haitian immigrants. (AP Photo/Ramon Espinosa)

Several Haitian immigrants return to their country crossing the River Massacre as they are watched by Dominican soldiers in Dajabon, some 225 miles northwest of Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic, Friday, Jan. 13, 2006. The border at Dajabon was closed Friday due to disturbances provoked by Haitian immigrants. (AP Photo/Ramon Espinosa)

An Italian soldier patrols the area next to the Olympic arch, in Turin, Italy, on Sept. 24, 2005. Less than a month before the start of the Feb. 10-26 Winter Olympics, Italian authorities are rolling out a massive security operation to protect the 2,500 athletes, 5, 000 officials and 1 million spectators expected to attend the Turin Games. (AP Photo/Massimo Pinca)

AP - Wed Jan 11, 11:18 PM ET Duluth Combined Honor Guard members fire off a three-volley salute during graveside services for U.S. Marine Corps and Air Force veteran Howard R. Johnson of Superior, Wis., Wednesday afternoon, Dec. 28, 2005, at Greenwood Cemetery in Superior. Honor guard members firing the volley include, left to right, Larry Linell, 74 of Duluth; Frank Pitoscia, 75, of Hermantown; William Burros, 65, of Duluth; Wayne Hoffman, 86, of Proctor; and Red Grover, 78, of Duluth. With dwindling numbers of aging veterans active in local chapters of the American Legion and Veterans of Foreign Wars, gathering enough volunteers to provide military honors of color guard, rifle salute and folded flag presentation at veterans' funerals is becoming increasingly difficult, according to unit captain John Marshall of Duluth. Due to liability issues, the federal govenment permits only Legion or VFW members to handle the rifles. (AP Photo/Julia Cheng)

Originally Posted By Lumpy196:AP - Wed Jan 11, 11:18 PM ET Duluth Combined Honor Guard members fire off a three-volley salute during graveside services for U.S. Marine Corps and Air Force veteran Howard R. Johnson of Superior, Wis., Wednesday afternoon, Dec. 28, 2005, at Greenwood Cemetery in Superior. Honor guard members firing the volley include, left to right, Larry Linell, 74 of Duluth; Frank Pitoscia, 75, of Hermantown; William Burros, 65, of Duluth; Wayne Hoffman, 86, of Proctor; and Red Grover, 78, of Duluth. With dwindling numbers of aging veterans active in local chapters of the American Legion and Veterans of Foreign Wars, gathering enough volunteers to provide military honors of color guard, rifle salute and folded flag presentation at veterans' funerals is becoming increasingly difficult, according to unit captain John Marshall of Duluth. Due to liability issues, the federal govenment permits only Legion or VFW members to handle the rifles. (AP Photo/Julia Cheng)

Originally Posted By Lumpy196:us.news3.yimg.com/us.i2.yimg.com/p/ap/20060112/capt.mnjc10101120417.funeral_duty_mnjc101.jpg?x=380&y=253&sig=e94yQb7DgbURy9rB7dB24A--AP - Wed Jan 11, 11:18 PM ET Duluth Combined Honor Guard members fire off a three-volley salute during graveside services for U.S. Marine Corps and Air Force veteran Howard R. Johnson of Superior, Wis., Wednesday afternoon, Dec. 28, 2005, at Greenwood Cemetery in Superior. Honor guard members firing the volley include, left to right, Larry Linell, 74 of Duluth; Frank Pitoscia, 75, of Hermantown; William Burros, 65, of Duluth; Wayne Hoffman, 86, of Proctor; and Red Grover, 78, of Duluth. With dwindling numbers of aging veterans active in local chapters of the American Legion and Veterans of Foreign Wars, gathering enough volunteers to provide military honors of color guard, rifle salute and folded flag presentation at veterans' funerals is becoming increasingly difficult, according to unit captain John Marshall of Duluth. Due to liability issues, the federal govenment permits only Legion or VFW members to handle the rifles. (AP Photo/Julia Cheng)

I practiced sighting in with those Garands when I was 15. I took hunters safety in Duluth at the vfw. Cool to see a pic from my hometown!

A Filipino woman inspects a pistol on sale during a defence equipment exhibition in a shopping mall in Manila January 12, 2006. Rising criminality, like car thefts, bank robberies and kidnappings are pushing more people to arm themselves, local police reported. REUTERS/Romeo Ranoco

Awesome! I like "defence equipment exhibition" better than the name "gun show".

Also. She has great taste!

Sic Semper TyrannisPslam 377 Be still before the LORD and wait patiently for Him; do not fret when men succeed in their ways,when they carry out their wicked schemes.13 but the Lord laughs at the wicked, for He knows their day is coming

Originally Posted By Lumpy196:us.news3.yimg.com/us.i2.yimg.com/p/ap/20060112/capt.mnjc10101120417.funeral_duty_mnjc101.jpg?x=380&y=253&sig=e94yQb7DgbURy9rB7dB24A--AP - Wed Jan 11, 11:18 PM ET Duluth Combined Honor Guard members fire off a three-volley salute during graveside services for U.S. Marine Corps and Air Force veteran Howard R. Johnson of Superior, Wis., Wednesday afternoon, Dec. 28, 2005, at Greenwood Cemetery in Superior. Honor guard members firing the volley include, left to right, Larry Linell, 74 of Duluth; Frank Pitoscia, 75, of Hermantown; William Burros, 65, of Duluth; Wayne Hoffman, 86, of Proctor; and Red Grover, 78, of Duluth. With dwindling numbers of aging veterans active in local chapters of the American Legion and Veterans of Foreign Wars, gathering enough volunteers to provide military honors of color guard, rifle salute and folded flag presentation at veterans' funerals is becoming increasingly difficult, according to unit captain John Marshall of Duluth. Due to liability issues, the federal govenment permits only Legion or VFW members to handle the rifles. (AP Photo/Julia Cheng)

"My name is Ronald Reagan. What's yours?" –introducing himself after delivering a prep school commencement address. The individual responded, "I'm your son, Mike," to which Reagan replied, "Oh, I didn't recognize you

I too grew up around Duluth Mn and my dad is active in te Carlton, MN VFW honor Guard, the last 8 years they have been very busy with all of the WWII and Korea vets going to the last muster.As a not so old x-navy sqiud may all of our hero's who get to meet St. Peter get one last salute.

cool post, my only question is the second pic posed? ive never fired a SAW, let alone held one, but wouldnt he want to lock the para sotck b4 firing? or is it heavy enough to be controllable without shouldering it(reletivly speaking)